THREAD OF SILENCE

02/01/03 | Ken Roberts

[Samurai_Jack]

[BraveMan]

[Bear_in_RoseBear]

The arching sky is calling
Spacemen back to their trade.
ALL HANDS! STAND BY! FREE FALLING!
And the lights below us fade.

Out ride the sons of Terra,
Far drives the thundering jet,
Up leaps a race of Earthmen,
Out, far, and onward, yet ---

We pray for one last landing
On the globe that gave us birth;
Let us rest our eyes on the friendly skies
And the cool, green hills of Earth.

-- Robert A. Heinlein, from "The Green Hills of Earth"

Thanks to JenB for posting this earlier today.

[Peach]

+++++

[freedom4ever]

Prayers for the families of the astronauts.

[DoughtyOne]

Here is a screen saver I made this morning.  It is sized 800x600 and 1024x768.
Right click down download for 800 x 600.
Left click, then right click download for 1024x768.

[zeaal]

STS-107

[rs79bm]

"...Sometimes when we reach for the stars we fall short....we must pick ourselves up again and press on..."

[ATOMIC_PUNK]

Seven angels

Lord we come to you with heavy hearts this day as patriots from this planet come your way.
It is with faith in you and loving hearts we ask that you open your gates to heaven this day and accept these angels that are coming your way.
They worked hard Oh Lord for all mankind to ease the pain of a world so blind.
Lord bless and keep these seven angels close to your heart as they have given their all with Unwaivering dedication to duty and country selflessly they worked in the face of danger.
Bless you lord and Praise your name without these angels this world will not be the same but we know through your unwaivering love that these Seven Angels coming your way will be in your blessed arms this very same day.

Amen

John G.

[ewing]

[Humidston]

Me too, my friend.

<><

[fightinJAG]

+ + + + + + +

[glock rocks]

[cardinal4]

++++++

[RedWing9]

It's hard to find silence around here.

[ewing]

[HiTech RedNeck]

alas

[My Favorite Headache]

Vapor Trail

Artist: Rush

Stratospheric traces of our transitory flight
Trails of condensation held
In narrow paths of white
The sun is turning black
The world is turning gray
All the stars fade from the night
The oceans drain away

Horizon to Horizon
Memory written on the wind
Fading away like an hourglass, grain by grain
Swept away like voices in a hurricane

In a vapor trail

Atmospheric phases make the transitory last
Vaporize the memories that freeze the fading past
Silence all the songbirds
Stilled by the killing frost
Forests burn to ashes
Everything is lost

Washed away like footprints in the rain

In a vapor trail....

[Aracelis]

High Flight

by John Gillespie Magee, Jr.

Oh, I have slipped the surly bonds of earth,
And danced the skies on laughter-silvered wings;
Sunward I've climbed, and joined the tumbling mirth
Of sun-split clouds...and done a hundred things
You have not dreamed of...wheeled and soared and swung
High in the sunlit silence. Hov'ring there,
I've chased the shouting wind along, and flung
My eager craft through footless halls of air.
Up, up, the long, delirious burning blue
I've topped the windswept heights with easy grace
Where never lark, nor even eagle flew.
And while with silent, lifting mind I've trod
The high untrespassed sanctity of space...
...put out my hand, and touched the face of God.